Pulse counting circuit



Nov. 4, 1952 F. wr-:srr-:RVELD PULSE COUNTING CIRCUIT Filed Jan. 26, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ABCBEFGH INVENToR. FRANS WES'TERZD l u v AGENT.

Aapffa NOV- 4 1952 F. wEs'rERvl-:LD

PULSE COUNTING CIRCUIT.

Filed Jan. 26, 1949 f3 .Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. FRANS WES'RVD AGF/VT position after two pulses.. y n Y Vnlicity acircuit-arrangement of this kind will be Ithe known Patented Nov. 4, 1952 y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,616,958 PULsEooUNTING CIRCUIT `Frans Westerveld, Eindhoven, etherlands, as-

s'ignor to Hartford National `Bank and' Trust CombannHa'rtford, Conn., as trustee .Ajipliootion January 26, 1.949, serial No. 72,98?.

In'the Netherlands April.26, 1948 "filieinven'tion relatesv to a vcircu -arrangement `cor'np'rising'two relays 'to' which pulses can be supplied' with the Yuse voi 'afpul'se Contact, saidl arrangement beingsuch that it recurs to its initial For the sake of simreerred 'to as la .counting velement and the two .relays will be described asa counting relay and an auxiliary relay. l

The ncircuit-arrangement according vto the invention `is characterized in that the irirs't relay (counting relay) comprises two opposed windings, oiieof 4which is connected in series with the winding of the second relay (auxiliary relay), `'with the breakecontactoi a make-before-break contact of thejfirstrelay and withthe pulse contact and in lthat. the said break-contact Vis shunted, in' series with the.' winding` of the auxiliary relay, by .abreakcontact of the auxiliary relay, the

vinalte-contactV of the make-be'fore-Jbreak contact of'thelrst relay being connected on the one hand to. the `junction of the Winding of the auxiliary relay and the first-mentioned break-contactand onthe ,other hand to the `battery,terminals `on the. side of the puise' contact, and in that the otherside of the .pulse contact and the other bat- Y ftery terminal have connected between'thern the seriescmbination of .a make contact of the auxiliary relayv and the second winding of the rst Ina knowncircuit-arrangement both ythe f counting and the auxiliary ,relays are provided with two .Opposed windings, whereas in the cir- 'ouit-drrangementaccording to the invention only the counting relay comprises two differentially connected winding-s,y the A`auxiliaryrel-ay having drie.yiiin'ding,v so that its construction is m'ore simple;y Thel 'numberof required contacts of the two relaysis particuiarly restricted. Compared with circuitarrangement, the arrangement according to ythe invention has the' additional'advantage that it ensures more rapid operation "of the counting relay, since it has suppiieditotitja high energizing current, so that it responds" quickly, it being then held in a circuit ofreducied'current streng-th'with the result that, o n bei grief-"energized with theuse ofthe second winding; it oenberapidly-released.

Circuit-arrangements are known lin which a `r1tirrit cr ofv counting' elements' arecombined in 'cas- Wlnc erin'ts of the number oi 'closures' of a pulse contact beingfresteredinthe-former a deodiiting relays-which i hi ninnber.;v Suchco ing lcade"'arran lenient-:to form a' circuit-arrangement antes-Iena-idiregistersiand Aooording to one embodiment of fthle invention such a cascade arrangement of counting el ments may be built up from ja Very sfrnallI number of relay contacts, since the pulse circuit "is" connected through by uway of e of the Contacts'aliady available `of the 'auxiliary relay oi'vaJ preceding Counting eleinllt bb thenext f'ollOWIg 'counting element. f K I Y In one embodiment o'i the intentionit is 'possibleJ "t' arrange the lluit to be "Such that the number of Duls rywberegistredether n'ari additive' si'lse i aisubtralctiveslfs at Will.`

In order that theinvrtion'mayb'e 'morelclearly understood and readilyca'riedinto eect', it windrow be described more'ruiiy withY r'efeienee tothe accompanying drawing, in which Figl 1 diagrammatially vshows a counting element according to the invention.

Fig. 2 "shws' a counting arrangementeompris in'g four Actsiadeconnecte'id counting elements. Y Fi'g13`sho'ws in what rd'er the relays of the arrangeientsho'iifriiin Fig. `2 are energized when pl'sesarered to" `thisarrttngern'en't. t

Fig). l'flfshows a circuiti-'arrangement derived from the circuit'larran'gement shown in Fig. 2

`and .p'erinittingof "registering thenumber of sup"- comprises a counting vrelay A having two windings-A1 and A2 which counteractv one another and in "additiontan aux-iliaryrelay B. In the condition shown in the iigure the two relays 4arenon energized'. The arrangement shown operates' as Vfollows :o

In th!closing.:positioniiofipulse contacti tithe tion.

4further ranges of possible employment.

left-hand winding A1 of the metering relay A is energized through a, resting contact b, so that this relay becomes operative. Relay A prepares a holding circuit for itself through the winding of the auxiliary relay and through the make-side of a change-over contact a, which is formed as a make-before-break contact. However, the auxiliary relay B cannot yet respond, since it is shortcircuited through its own resting contact and the pulse contact i. As soon as the pulse contact is opened, the short-circuit of B is removed, so that this relay responds and, by means of its changeover contact opening, on the one hand opens the said short-circuit and on the other hand connects the second, differentially connected wind-V that this relay remains de-energized, whereas relay B remains operated so long as the pulse contact is closed. In the second opening position of the pulse contact, relay B also releases and the circuit-arrangement has resumed its rest posi- In addition to the use in the counting circuitarrangement f Fig. 2 described hereinafter, the single circuit-arrangement of Fig. 1 has various Ii the pulse contact is assumed to be replaced, for example, by the contact of a press button, the arrangement may be utilised where a denite operation is required to be started by pressing the key. and to be undone by re-pressing the key, for example, in consultation circuits in automatic telephony, it being frequently customary for a telephone instrument connected to an exchange line to be changed over to call-back with the use of a press button fitted on the instrument and to be re-connected to the exchange line by repressing the said button.

Fig. 2 shows a counting arrangement according to the invention in which a number of elementary counting elements according to the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 are connected in cascade. In considering the arrangement it is found that the making contacts b, d and'f of the auxiliary relays B, DV and F connect the pulse circuit to the next following counting element.V This will take place at the moment when the auxiliary' relay associated with the contact ,is energized that is to say at the end of a pulse fed to the counting element concerned.V However, the next following counting element is not energized until after the pulse contact z' is reclosed, the second windings of the counting relays of the preceding'counting elements being connected into circuit at the same time, .so that they are released. Upon opening of the pulse contact z', the associated auxiliary relays are also released. The operation of the arrangement is, consequently, such that on energization of the next following counting element invariably all the preceding counting elements are operated to the rest position so that the latter must completely repeat their performance before a new counting element can be energized. The order in which the various relays are energized, when the pulse contact supplies a number vof pulses to the circuit is shown in Fig. 3.

It will be seen there-from that all possible combinations of energized counting relays are performed in succession. A combination of n counting elements is thus generally capable of registering 2n-1 pulses, if the combination in which all the elements are in rest position is not counted as a counting combination. It will furthermore be seen from Fig. 3 that the arrangement of Fig. 2 has resumed its rest position after 16 pulses.

The short-circuits of the auxiliary relays B, D, F and H include rectifying elements GRI to GR4, which render satisfactory operation of each pair of relays independent of the further pairs of relays. These rectifying elements are included in each of the circuit-arrangements shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 6.

The arrangement of Fig. 4 is differentiated from that of Fig. 2 in that the cut-through circuit of the pulses includes a set of change-over contacts o. In the illustrated rest position of these contacts o the circuit-arrangement is identical with that of Fig. 2. By changing over the contacts o in the rest position of the arrangement all the counting relays are connected in parallel with the pulse contact, so that after one pulse all the relays are energized. Next the parallel combination is interrupted by the contacts of the auxiliary relay and at the second pulse A and B are released. The further operation of the circuit-arrangement is then such that invariably, on de-energization of the next following set of a counting relay and an auxiliary relay, the preceding sets are energized, after which the latter must repeat their performance completely before the next following set can be released. In other words, the operation of the arrangement is exactly opposite to that of Fig. 2.

Energization of the next following counting element must take place through the pulse contact and the break contacts of the auxiliary relays of the preceding counting elements. If the rectifying elements GR were not provided, a counting element could also receive current through the windings of the auxiliary relay and one of the making contacts, connected in series therewith, of preceding counting elements. The rectifying elements have the effect of obviating the relative action of the counting elements. If the counting relays A, C, E and G are assigned in succession the ordinal numerals 1,2, 4 and 8, the number of registered pulses in the arrangement of Fig. 2 can invariably be found by addition of the ordinal numbers of the energized counting relays, the circuit-arrangement of Fig. 2 operating in an addition sense and the arrangement of Fig. 4 operating in a subtractive sense with the contacts o changed over.

Fig. 5 shows the order of Operation of the relays of Fig. 4, the contacts o being changed over. It is once more evident therefrom that al1 combinations of Fig. 2 occur in Fig. 5 in the reversed order.

The circuit-arrangements described can not only be used for counting purposes, but also for frequency division. It is evident from Figs. 3 and 5 that the counting relay A is energized once if two pulses are supplied to the arrangement. Similarly the counting relay C is energized once per four pulses, counting relay E once per eight pulses.

In the circuit-arrangement of Fig. 2 every second pulse is consequently transmitted at point I, every fourth pulse at point II, every eight at point III and every sixteenth pulse at point IV.

In the registering arrangement of Fig.- 6 the arrangement of Fig. 2v is used for registering a number-'or' pulse series emitted by a. telephone malreside'iofrthefpulsefcontactfi.' "Whenthe subscriber then selects a digit f thev`l Y'relay Iv is'` l de"- energize'dfonce at each interruptionfof "-jth'e vlin'e by 4the pulse contact Y ofi thefdialg .-and through is 'energized'fwhich 'through al double imakefcon'- 433,1batterys -When Vais alsogreleased, the-holdearth'r-for @thecounting circuit-'arrangement is interruptedi. so that `all-ftheenergized counting and auxiliaryf-relaysare kde-energized`-; however, the

registeringrelaydsremainssheldithrough its own making contact ,and .the .winding-,of th'ef'changeover relay O1, which changes over the wires IV, 2 and 8 to the next following set of registering relays. A whole series of digits can be recorded by the register in a similar manner.

What I claim is:

1. A binary pulse counting system comprising a counting relay provided with first and second opposed windings, a primary switch having first and second switching positions and means causing said primary switch to normally occupy said first position, whereby said primary switch is shifted to said second position upon energization of said first winding and is returned to said rst position upon energization of said second winding, an auxiliary relay provided with a third winding, a secondary switch having first .and second switching positions and means causing said secondary switch to normally occupy said lfirst position, whereby -said secondary switch shifts to the second position thereof upon energization of said third winding and returns to said first position thereof upon de-energization of said third winding, a pulsing switch member actuated in accordance with the pulses being counted, and first and second voltage sources having terminals therefor, one end of said first and third windings being interconnected, one terminal of said first source being connected to the other end of said first winding, the other terminal of said first source being connected through said member and said secondary switch in the first position thereof to said interconnection, said other terminal of said first source being connected through said member and said primary switch in the first position thereof to the other end of said third winding and being connected through said primary switch in the second position thereof to said other end of said third winding, said second winding being connected through said secondary switch in the second position thereof and said switching member to the terminals of said second source.

2. A system, as set forth in claim 1, further including a rectifier interposed between said intemnnecnon andfsaid secondary switch-insaid rstvposition:

v3." Pulse counting Y apparatus comprisingf a Vplurality l of binary pulse-counting systems 4con- -nected-incascad`e:relation, each system including, anMau-Xiliary relay provided with a 4third first: andfsecond switchingfp'ositi'onsfand Vmeans iwindin'g:` actuating la 'secondary 'switch having :said fisecon'd'ary I switch to normally :oc-

.'cupy fsaidlrst position, whereby fsaid 4secondary switch: isshifted to vthe second :position thereof :upon: Ienergization 'of said `third winding and is returned-tofsaid' first position thereof =upon deenergization ofsaid third winding, a `pulsing switch vmemberactuated in accordance withthe "pulsesrbeingcounted, and firstand second voltage sourcesa-havingterminals Vvtherefor, `one endof ysaid` firstxand' third Awindings being interconnected,"one terminal of said first source being connectedto the other "end of said first winding, the otherterminallof said first source being connected through said member andl said second switch inztheiirst `position thereof l to said interconnection; said other terminal of .said first source being connected through said member and said primary switch in the first position thereof to the other end of said third winding and being connected through said primary switch in the second position thereof to said other end of said third winding, said second winding being connected through said secondary switch in the second position thereof and said switching member to the terminals of said second source, the pulsing switch member of the systems following the first system in the cascade thereof being constituted by the secondary switch in the second position.

4. A binary pulse counting system comprising a counting relay provided with first and second opposed windings and a primary switch actuated by said windings including first and second fixed contacts, a first movable contact and means normally causing said first fixed movable contact to engage said first fixed contact,said first movable contact engaging said second fixed contact upon energization of said rst winding and reengaging said first fixed contact upon energization of said second winding, an auxiliary relay provided with a third winding actuating a secondary switch including third and fourth fixed contacts, a second movable contact and means norf mally causing said second movable contact to normally engage said third fixed contact, said second movable contact engaging said fourth fixed contact upon energization of said third Winding and re-engaging said third fixed contact upon de-energization of said third winding, a pulsing switch member actuated in accordance with the pulses being counted, and first and second voltage sources having terminals therefor, one end of said first and third windings being interconnected and being connected to said third fixed contact, said first fixed contact and said second movable contact both being connected through said switch member to one terminal of said first source, the other terminal of said first source being connected to the other end of said first Winding, said iirst movable contact being connected to the other end of said third winding, the second fixed contact being connected both to said one terminal of said rst source and one terminal of said second source, the other terminal of said second source being connected to one end of said second winding, the other end of said second winding being connected to said fourth fixed contact.

5. Frequency division apparatus comprising a counting relay provided with first and second opposed windings and a primary switch actuated by said windings including first and second xed contacts, a rst movable contact and means causing said first movable contact to normally engage said first fixed contact, said rst movable contact engaging said second xed contact upon energization of said rst winding and re-engaging said rst fixed contact upon energization of said second winding, an auxiliary relay provided with a third winding actuating a secondary switch including third and fourth fixed contacts, a second movable contact and means causing said first movable contact to normally engage said third fixed contact, said second movable contact engaging said fourth fixed contact upon energization of said third winding and rie-engaging said third fixed contact upon cle-energization of said third winding, a pulsing switch member actuated in Vaccordance with the frequency being divided, a

rectier, and iirst and second voltageV sources having terminals therefor, one end of said rst 28 and third windings being interconnected and being connected to said third ixed contact through saidrectier, said first xed contact and said second movable contact both being connected through said switch member to one terminal of .said rst source, the other terminal of said first REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,563,738 From Dec. 1, 1925 2,009,405 Leich July 30, 1935 2,067,151 Dicke' Jan. 5, 1937 2,088,793 Judge Aug. 3, 1937 2,114,255 Powell Apr, 12, 1938 2,325,151 Saunders July 27, 1943 2,402,446 Pawell June 18. 1946 

